The class of polymers of carbon monoxide and olefin(s) is well known in the art. Early methods for the production of various types of such polymers are illustrated by Brubaker, U.S. Pat. No. 2,495,286, U.K. No. 1,081,304 and Nozaki, U.S. Pat. No. 3,694,412. More recently the class of linear alternating polymers of carbon monoxide and at least one ethylenically unsaturated hydrocarbon, e.g., copolymers of carbon monoxide and ethylene or terpolymers of carbon monoxide, ethylene and propylene, has become of greater interest in part because of the greater availability of the polymers. These polymers, now becoming known as polyketones or polyketone polymers, have been shown to be of the repeating formula --CO--A-- wherein A is a moiety of ethylenically unsaturated hydrocarbon polymerized through the ethylenic unsaturation. For example, in the case of a copolymer of carbon monoxide and ethylene, the polymer is represented by the repeating formula --CO--CH.sub.2 --CH.sub.2 --. The more recent general processes for the production of such polymers are illustrated by a number of published European Patent Applications including 121,965, 181,014, 213,671 and 257,663. The process generally involves the use of a catalyst composition formed from a compound of a Group VIII metal selected from palladium, cobalt or nickel, the anion of a non-hydrohalogenic strong acid and a bidentate ligand of phosphorus, arsenic or antimony.
The polyketone polymers are relatively high molecular weight materials having established utility as premium thermoplastics. They are processed by methods conventional for thermoplastics into a variety of shaped articles which, among other uses, are employed as containers for food and drink. The polymers are also used to coat solid objects by spraying processes.
It is, on occasion, useful to blend the polyketone polymers with other polymeric materials in order to retain the more desirable properties of the polyketone while improving other properties. For example, polyketone polymer is blended with a polymer of ethylene and an unsaturated carboxylic acid to produce blends having an improved melt stability. Such blends are disclosed in copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 203,960 filed June 8, 1988. In copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 185,577, filed Apr. 25, 1988, the use of polyketone polymers or blends thereof with ethylene/unsaturated carboxylic acid copolymer in a flame spraying process is described and claimed. It would be of advantage, however, to provide an improved flame spraying process for the coating of objects with polyketone polymers or blends thereof.